Celebrating motherhood is something that we love to do here at Merci Maman. With motherhood being an integral part of our brand identity, we find it an imperative that motherhood is at the forefront of everything we do from our name to our campaigns to all the lovely mums who make up Merci Maman team. That’s why we’re so excited to announce the launch of our Mother’s Day campaign aptly titled My Journey.
This Mother’s Day we have teamed up with five incredible women to celebrate each of their unique and amazing motherhood journeys. Keep reading to find out all about the inspiring figures who are at the helm of our #MyJourney campaign.
Sevim (otherwise known as Sev) is the Publishing Editor of Cherubs Magazine which is the must have parenting publication in the UK.
In her early 20’s she received the devastating news that having children was not going to happen for her and that she would have to explore different avenues into if it was something that she wanted later in life. By miracle, she unexpectedly fell pregnant naturally with twins!
“It was a very touch and go pregnancy as my health issues were playing a huge part in me being able to carry them safely, in fact I spent a majority of it bed bound. But if that’s what it meant to have them safely, then that’s what I did.”
SEVIM SPEAKING ON HER EXPERIENCE OF PREGNANCY
She spent 7 months fearful every day, of whether her babies were, ok? Whether she was going to be able to look after them? How she was going to afford it? How she was going to work? Every day was a different thought and every day she grew more afraid. She went into labour 6 weeks earlier than planned and was able to safely deliver a boy and girl.
“Knowing they were both ok and safely in my arms, I found all those fears I carried with me during pregnancy slowly leave my mind. As parents we continuously think about how we will handle certain things, but you make it work!”
Her journey to motherhood may have been a difficult story, but it’s one she loves to tell time and time again because of her happy ending.
Next up we have Sharlene, who goes by the Instagram handle @curlylittledreams. She is a mum of two boys Hector and Hugo, who are four and nearly two respectively. And also a step mum to her stepdaughter who is 15.
Describing her pregnancies and journey throughout them, Sharlene says that the experience has been good!
"Having my first son, I think I was really lucky as the birth was amazing with him. I felt like I got into the swing of things quite quickly. Breastfeeding, that was tough, even with both my children but I think overall I am doing okay!"
However, this doesn’t mean that motherhood has been all smooth sailing. She describes it as a balancing act. Whilst you get the reward of seeing your children’s personalities grow and develop. There is the flipside of trying to find the balance of having you own life as a mother.
"Personally, I feel like I lost a lot of that [life outside of motherhood] and I’m trying to get my confidence back."
SHARLENE DESCRIBING HER STRUGGLE’S AS A MOTHER
The next of our models is the lovely Helen Addis; mum of 3 to Archie, April and Belle. Her day job is features editor at ITV Lorraine. However, she is also the founder of a social enterprise business called The-C-List, which is a cancer community support platform that features tips and tricks to help patients get through their treatment. As well as a curation of cancer-friendly beauty products.
For Helen having children was something that she had always wanted:
"I wanted 5 until I had my first and realised how hard work it is! I decided to have my guys close together because I knew that it would be easier, in the long run, to get the hard bit all over and done with at once! I’m fortunate that I fell pregnant very quickly each time."
However, despite her quick pregnancies Helen has had to juggle her motherhood journey with a cancer diagnosis. A topic that we have covered before, Helen’s cancer journey was what can only be described as tough.
"It was hard to navigate with such young children and it was hard for them to see me so ill. My advice on that is that communication is key. Kids are very resilient but they’re also very perceptive so the more I tried to hide things the more anxious they got. So I made sure I was open and honest at all times with them"
HELEN ON INFORMING HER CHILDREN OF HER DIAGNOSIS
As a full time working mum Helen does have to juggle a work life balance and admits that sometimes she does need to be more in the moment and savour the time she has with them. But when it comes to celebrating motherhood the most rewarding aspect for Helen is seeing her children happy.
Coming up next we have the wonderful Holly otherwise known as @thebodypostivemum on Instagram, a 34 year old mother of 3 from Portsmouth.
Holly’s motherhood journey starts 13 years ago when she had her oldest son at 21 years old. As a young mum Holly felt the pressure of feeling like she had to get everything right. However, by the time Holly fell pregnant with her second child she felt that it was something she had wanted so bad that there was no pressure.
"I felt like if I got it wrong it was okay. When I had my eight-year-old, there was no routine and I felt like I got it right. I’ve noticed a huge difference between the way my children love. Sonny, my eldest is very reserved, whereas Luca is very much affectionate and loving. With motherhood I have learnt so much along the way. I don’t regret anything I’ve done but I feel that I’ve learnt lots along the way."
For Holly she credits motherhood for teaching her many things. The first being maturity. Being such a young mother when having her first she felt like she had to grow up overnight. Motherhood has also taught her to not be judgemental and to be kind
"I see how people are treated and I don’t ever want that for my children. I want them to show respect to people, to be kind and to be honest."
HOLLY ON HOW SHE NOW PRACTICES MOTHERHOOD
Last but certainly not least we have model and disability representation activist Kelly Knox. Mother of 2 Kelly describes motherhood as the most beautiful, exhausting, challenging journey ever.
"I feel so blessed and so grateful to have my two children, children have a really clever and unique way of showing you ways where you need to show up more, and heal, and they just give so many gifts. It’s all about love and kindness, and care, and nurturing, and I feel so happy and lucky no matter how hard it is at times it’s always so precious."
KELLY ON HOW HER CHILDREN MAKE HER FAMILY
One of Kelly’s of biggest challenges that came with adjusting to being a mother was the lack of sleep. For her missing out on sleep can cause anxiety and she recalls how she struggle with this with her firstborn Jenson who wasn’t so keen on sleeping from the get-go. But by the time her second child Elsie was born things were different
"I thought ‘is this how babies are meant to be sleeping?’ until she got to about four months and teething happened and then it all went downhill."
Even though it is a massive challenge missing out on all that sleep. Kelly still appreciates all the time she shares with her children. Because for Kelly celebrating motherhood is all about having that bond and that love that is so special between mother and child.
Motherhood is a universal yet deeply personal experience. At Merci Maman, we recognise and honour every story, every challenge, and every triumph. Our #MyJourney campaign is a celebration of the diversity of motherhood journeys and an invitation to all mothers to share their unique experiences.
Every mother we featured in our campaign emphasised the importance of community support. Sevim, Sharlene, Helen, Holly and Kelly have all found strength and comfort in their support networks, be they family, friends or online communities.
By sharing their stories, they show how essential it is not to feel alone in this adventure. We encourage all mums to seek and offer support, as a close-knit community makes all the difference.
Motherhood has its share of challenges, but also many rewards. From the fear and uncertainty of the early weeks to the joy of watching your children grow and flourish, each stage brings its own lessons and rewards.
Our ambassadors shared how they overcame obstacles such as health complications, the balance between work and family life, and sleep deprivation, while finding moments of pure happiness in the little everyday things.
Helen particularly stressed the importance of open communication with her children, especially when she was coping with her cancer diagnosis. It's a reminder that children are resilient and intuitive, and being honest with them about the challenges you face can build mutual trust and understanding. Encouraging transparent communication within families helps to build strong, empathetic relationships.
Sharlene talked about the difficulty of finding your own identity outside your role as a mother. This is a challenge that many mothers face: finding a balance between their personal needs and those of their children.
We support all mothers in this quest to reclaim their personal lives, because a fulfilled mother contributes to the happiness of the whole family.
We look forward to hearing your stories and celebrating your unique journeys with you. Use the hashtag #MyJourney and tag us on our social media to share your experiences. Every story enriches our understanding of motherhood and helps us build an even more supportive and inspiring community.
Finally, we'd like to express our deepest gratitude to all the mums out there. Your strength, resilience and unconditional love are an inspiration to us all. At Merci Maman, we will continue to honour and celebrate motherhood in all its forms, today and always.
To keep up to date with our upcoming campaigns and discover more inspiring mum stories, follow us on our social media and subscribe to our newsletter. Together, let's celebrate motherhood and share the beauty of every journey.
